Adjustable web splicing device

ABSTRACT

A laterally adjustable web splicing device for accommodating webs of varying width. The web splicing device comprises a stationary plate for supporting one edge of a pair of web ends to be spliced together, and a movable plate laterally movable relative to the stationary plate for supporting the opposite edge of the web ends. The movable plate is movable between a first position, in which it abuts the stationary plate and cooperates therewith to support web ends of one width, and second position, in which the movable plate is spaced from the stationary plate for supporting a web end of a wider width. In the second position, a web supporting insert plate is interposed between the stationary and movable plates.

United States Patent [191 Sayer Oct. 30, 1973 [54] ADJUSTABLE WEB SPLICING DEVICE Prima Examiner-William A. Powell h N. [75] Inventor Robert K Sayer, Roc ester Y An0mey wmiam T. French at a]. [73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company,

Rochester, N.Y. [57] ABSTRACT 22 Filed; Jam 4 1972 A laterally adjustable web splicing device for accom- App]. No.: 215,357

Hyca 156/506 modating webs of varying width. The web splicing device comprises a stationary plate for supporting one edge of a pair of web ends to be spliced together, and a movable plate laterally movable relative to the stationary plate for supporting the opposite edge of the web ends. The movable plate is movable between a first position, in which it abuts the stationary plate and cooperates therewith to support web ends of one width, and second position, in which the movable plate is spaced from the stationary plate for supporting a web end of a wider width. In the second position, a web supporting insert plate is interposed between the stationary and movable plates.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEnnmso 191s 3.769140 sum 2 BF 2 1 ADJUSTABLE WEB SPLICING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to splicing mechanisms, and more specifically to a laterally adjustable splicing device for accommodating webs of varying width. I

2. Description of the Prior Art It is known in the prior art to provide web splicing devices having a web supporting platform for accommodating webs of varying width. In one of such splicers, a web supporting platform is provided having one or more stationary guides for guides one of the edges of the web, and one or more adjustable guides laterally spaced from the stationary guides for guiding the opposite side edge of the web. By properly adjusting the adjustable guide, the splicer is capable of accommodating webs of varying width. Splicing devices are also known in which the web supporting platform is provided with sets of pins laterally spaced apart different distances for accommodating webs of varying width. It is also known to provide a web splicing device having a splice box with an open top covered by a perforated web supporting platform connectable to a source of vacuum forreleasably holding two web ends in abutting relationship. The web supporting platform is further provided with tape trimmers along each edge of the webs for trimming the ends of a splicing tape applied over the web ends for splicing the webs together. With this latter type of splicing device, in order to accommodate a web end of a width less than the width for which the perforated platform is constructed, it is necessary to place a side guide on the platform in a position to block off the open top of the splice box extending past the narrower width desired. In addition, the side guide must be provided with a trimmer for trimming off an edge of the tape to the narrower width. Although a vacuum splicing device modified as indicated to accommodate a film of a narrower width may operate satisfactorily, it suffers from the disadvantages, among others, that extensive modification and additional pieces of equipment such as a side guide and trimmer are required, and considerable shut-down time is required to convert from splicing webs of one width to a different width. Applicants adjustable web splicing device is believed to obviate these and other disadvantages of prior known web splicing devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

This invention includes within its scope a web splicing device that is adjustable laterally to accommodate webs of varying width. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the web splicing device comprises a splice box having an open top, and a stationary, perforated plate secured to the top of the box for supporting one side of a pair of abutting web ends to be spliced. The plate is further provided with resiliently mounted guide rails for guiding one of the side edges of the web ends and a trimming knife substantially in alignment with the side edges for trimming one end of a tape placed over the web ends for splicing them together. The splice box further has another plate for supporting web guide rails for guiding the opposite edge of the web, and a trimming knife for trimming the opposite end of the splicing tape. The latter plate has an unperforated portion and a perforated portion, and is mounted for slidable movement on the box top between a first position in which it abuts the stationary plate for accommodating a web there-between of one width, and a second position in which it is laterally spaced from the stationary plate for accommodating a web of a greater width. In the first position, the unperforated portion of the movable plate covers the portion of the open box top with which it is in register so that there is no loss of vacuum through the perforations. In the second position, an insert comprising a perforated plate of a width equal to the space between the stationary and movable plates is interposed between the plates to cover the open portion of the box top with which it is in register so that the vacuum through the perforations in not impaired, and to provide a support for the center portion of the webs of greater width.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a web splicing device for accommodating webs of varying width with a minimum of modification required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a web splicing device that may be quickly adjusted to accommodate webs of varying width with a minimum of down time.

The invention and its objects and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the'detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the web splicing device of this invention with the web supporting plates illustrated in spaced apart relation;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the web splicing device of FIG. 1 with the insert plate omitted and the remaining support plates combined to handle web ends of one width; and FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the support and insert plates combined for splicing web ends of a greater width.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, the web splicing device of this invention is illustrated and incorporated in a spooling machine 6 or the like for splicing together various widths of web ends 7, 9 such as films to leader or trailer materials. The web splicing device comprises a splice box 8 having an-open top, the box preferably being inclined at an angle to the horizontal of substantially The box is provided with a pair of laterally extending guide walls 10 for dividing the box into inner and outer chambers, 12, 14 and to provide a support for a pair of web support members 16, 18. Web support member 16 comprises a perforated plate having guideways such as grooves, not shown, on its lower surface mountable on the ends of walls 10 for precisely positioning support plate 16 in one direction, the plate being laterally positioned and rigidly secured to walls 10 by any suitable means such as screws or the like. A splicing tape trimmer 20 is mounted on the support plate, and has a pivotally movable shear blade 22 cooperating with a fixed blade 24 on the plate. The support plate 16 further has a pair of side guides, not shown, mounted thereon for resiliently guiding the side edges of two web ends as seen dotted in FIGS. 2 and 3 which are to be spliced together. To facilitate alignment of the web ends in abutting relation, support plate 16 is provided with an elongated sighting slot 26 covered by a translucent material and having a hair line 28 extending longitudinally across the slot. For illuminating the hair line, box 8 may be provided with a light source (not shown) to which the film is insensitive.

Web support member 18 comprises a plate having a perforated portion 30 and an unperforated protion 32. The plate 18 further has grooves, now shown, on its undersurface for receiving the ends of walls whereby the plate is slidably mounted on the walls for lateral movement. A detent 34 on plate 18 in the form of a spring-biased pin cooperates with openings in one of the guide walls 10 for releasably positioning plate 18 in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 for supporting a side of a web of one width, or in a different position as illustrated in FIG. 3 for supporting a side of a web of greater width. The plate 18 also supports a trimming; knife 36 similar to knife 20, and in addition has side guides, not shown, for resiliently guiding the opposite side of the web. The plate 18 has dowels 38 and holes 40 along one side surface thereof adapted to cooperate with mating holes 40 and dowels 38 on a side surface of plate 16 when the two members are manually pushed together to form a web support for webs of one width as best illustrated in FIG. 2. In this position, the unperforated portion 32 of plate' 18 covers the portion of the splice box opening with which it is in register. To accommodate webs of a larger width, the detent 34 is released and plate 18 slidably moved laterally outwardly to substantially the position illustrated in FIG. 1. An insert 42 comprising a perforated plate having dowels and openings on the sides thereof complementary to the dowels 38 ,and openings 40 on plates 16, 18 is mounted on guide walls 10 between the plates. The plate 18 is slidably moved inwardly combining the three plates 16, 18, 42 as illustrated in FIG. 3 to form a web support for webs of a greater width. The spooling machine 6 may be provided at the upper and lower sides of splice box 8 with any suitable slidable cutting mechanisms 44 for squaring off the ends of the webs 7, 9 prior to the splicing operation. The insert plate 42 is also provided with elongated sighting slots 26 for aligning the web ends. When the web ends 7, 9 are properly aligned, the operator applies vacuum to the inner and outer chamberslO, 14 of splice box 8 for holding the webs in alignment. If the operator is applying a splicing tape 46, shown dotted in FIGS. 2 and 3, only to one side of the web, the tape is advanced and applied across the web ends 7, 9, the trimming knives 20, 36 actuated to trim off the ends of tape, 46 and the vacuum released. if the operator desires to apply the splicing tape 46 to both sides of web ends 7, 9, a mechanism, not shown, is actuated for turning off vacuum to the inner chambers 12 of box 8 and raising a bar, not shown, for

engaging and lifting reciprocally movable lifting fingers 48 slidably carried by plates 16, 18, 42 for lifting the web ends 7, 9. The operator preferably manually feeds the splicing tape 46 beneath the lifted web ends, and when the tape is properly positioned, actuates the mechanism to lower the fingers 48 and re-apply the vacuum to inner chambers 12 bringing the web ends 7, 9 into engagement with splicing tape 46. The operator then applies the tape across the top surface of the web ends, trims off the splicing tape, and releases the vacuum to the inner and outer chambers 12, 14 of the box.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove.

I claim:

1. In a web splicing device adjustable laterally to accommodate webs of varying width, the combination comprising:

means for supporting two web ends in abuttingrelation in position for splicing;

said supporting means having a fixed portion for supporting one side edge of said web ends;

said supporting means further having a laterally movable portion i'or supporting the other side edge of said web ends;

said movable portion being movable between a first position in which it abuts said fixed portion for accommodating webs of one width, and a second position in which it is spaced from said first portion a predetermined distance for accommodating webs of a greater width; and

insert means of a width equal to said predetermined distance insertable in the space between said first and second portions in said second position of said movable portion.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are flat, perforated plates connectable to a source of vacuum for holding the web ends on said supporting means.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said plates are provided with lifting pins movable above the surface of said plates for lifting the web ends away from said plates so that a splicing tape can be placed between said plates and said web ends.

4. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second plate is laterally slidably movable on guide rails.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are each provided with trimming means for trimming the ends of a splicing tape placed on the web ends.

6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably holding said movable portion in its first and second positions.

* I! 'l l 

1. In a web splicing device adjustable laterally to accommodate webs of varying width, the combination comprising: means for supporting two web ends in abutting relation in position for splicing; said supporting means having a fixed portion for suppoRting one side edge of said web ends; said supporting means further having a laterally movable portion for supporting the other side edge of said web ends; said movable portion being movable between a first position in which it abuts said fixed portion for accommodating webs of one width, and a second position in which it is spaced from said first portion a predetermined distance for accommodating webs of a greater width; and insert means of a width equal to said predetermined distance insertable in the space between said first and second portions in said second position of said movable portion.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are flat, perforated plates connectable to a source of vacuum for holding the web ends on said supporting means.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said plates are provided with lifting pins movable above the surface of said plates for lifting the web ends away from said plates so that a splicing tape can be placed between said plates and said web ends.
 4. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second plate is laterally slidably movable on guide rails.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are each provided with trimming means for trimming the ends of a splicing tape placed on the web ends.
 6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably holding said movable portion in its first and second positions. 